This JB Zi Char Restaurant With No Menu Has Been Around For More Than 40 Years

Restoran New Lucky Seafood in Johor Bahru

It’s surely the mark of a good restaurant when you visit at an off-peak hour, and they’re still bustling. Restoran New Lucky Seafood is one such place, and you can see they’re all geared up for a crowd—they’ve got indoor and outdoor seats, as well as private dining rooms, in a large, double-storied shophouse.

Another marker of a long-running establishment: there are no menus here. The beloved zi char eatery, which many locals have grown up eating at, has been around for more than 40 years and so it’s assumed you already know what’s good.

For the unacquainted, there are several large, backlit boards in the alfresco area that shout out their signature dishes—there are no prices though. You are also greeted by stacks of tanks with live seafood, should you be here for a fishy feast. If you’re seated inside, you’ll either have to know what you want to eat, or look to the waitstaff for recommendations.

One of their perennial bestsellers is Kway Teow (from RM20/~S$6.50), spiked with hum AKA blood cockles, pieces of fried pork lard, and lots of wok hei.

For a zi char dish unlike any you’d find in Singapore, give the Pork Ribs (from RM35/~S$11.30) a try. Presented in a claypot, this was like a savoury, peppery orh nee that bore similarities to Teochew-style bak kut teh.

If you’re going for the seafood and giving the claypot yam pork a miss, consider having the Kampung Chicken (RM38 for half/~S$12.20) a go instead. Easily differentiated from farmed chicken with its brilliant yellow skin, you’ll find the meat on this plain, poached chook has more bite and flavour.

We almost always cannot go without a tofu dish at a zi char meal, and at New Lucky Seafood, you can get a house-made Beancurd (from RM20/~S$6.50), stewed with luffa in a slippery, starchy gravy for a clean-tasting accompaniment to the meal.

It’s virtually impossible to drive past Restoran New Lucky Seafood and miss it. The popular spot can get crowded, so it’s advisable to make a reservation before you show up! For other zi char gems in JB, here’s a list of JB zi char places to add to your list. Locally, check out 18 Seafood in Serangoon!

Address: 1-5, Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau, 80050 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening hours: Daily 11:20am to 11pm
Tel: +60 7-338 3822
Website
Restoran New Lucky is not a halal-certified eatery

Photos taken by Brad Harrison Lee
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.SG